Automatic spark retarder for automobiles



Aug. 9, 1932. G. F. COLLEY 1,871,350

AUTOMATIC SPARK RETARDER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 15, 1950 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 PATENT oFF-rcE f *GEORGE F. COLLEY, OE-MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE AUTOMATIC SPARK RETARDER :E'OB 'AUTOMOBILES Application filed October 15 1930. Serial 110,488,806...

10 happens that the engine .backfires, breaking 'iiheEStBLlteI spring or other'parts of the starter mechanism.

Automobiles are usually equipped with both a hand control for thegas, known as a gas leveryand with a foot control, knownas an :accelerator, the latter being almost ex- :clusively used during operation of the car after starting and the former being almost always-advanced prior to starting in-order that gpropersupplyo'f gas may be available at such times.

'Ihe primary object of this invention is to provide means whereby setting the gas leverte furnish g'as for starting, automatically retards the spark lever to the position it should have, so that for all practical purposes it leecomes impossible to start the en- ;gine without retarding the spark.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplishedand the mannerbf theiraccomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference .to the accompanying drawing, in which: p v

l is a side elevation of the steering post and wheel of :an automobile showing the gas. and spark levers adjacent the wheel and ,gas and spark arms actuated respectively thereby;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view substantially full size showing these gas and spark arms and the carburetor and timer connecting rods-leading therefrom, and'showfingjmy "improved link. inter-connecting these .l'evers; 1

337g. 3 .is a side view approximately full size of the preferred form of link;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified a -form or this link; and

levers-have been linked together the gas lever Fig; 6is the corresponding endlvi'ew thereof.

Referring now to the drawingin which th'e various parts are indicated by numerals, 10

ist-he steeringpost, '11 the steeringwheel, @1215 the spark lever and 13 the gas lever. Extend ing downward from these levers and within the steering'post are rods 14,15 respectively, the lower ends of which'project outward 'be- .yond 'a shouldered portion of the post and carry arms -I6 and 'ljrespectively. The "end of theiarm 16'isbent downwardlyfa'tright angles'to the body of the arm'a'nd'to form a shank 18 which carries a timer connecting I rod 19. The end ofthe arm '17 is bentupward at right angles to form a similarshank which carries the carburetor control rod 21. All of theibeforementioned parts arein common'us'e and are usual parts of at least one well knownimake ofautomobile.

22 is a link whichris engaged over the shanks 18 and 'of'th'e arms '16 and I7 thus .interconnecting these arms.

will be more cl'earlyjscen by reference to This link as Fi 3, ispro'vid'ed with elongatedslot 23 in Which thearm' shank'20, may-slide backward and forward i and i's-also provided with a second sflot24 transverse to the first mentioned-slot. The shank'20 is engaged with [the slot 23 throughthe-open end thereof and L39 thereafter the slot 24 is engaged with the shank'1'8 and the linkpaj'r't 25 isben't inward to "the dotted position'25A -to secure the link in place.

In re ae and e, a closed link 22A is shown "which link hasa longitudinal slotQSA which is enlarged at 26-'to permit the linktobe engaged first over one shank, and then shifted and engaged over the other shankit being necessary in such caseto disconnectthe rods 19 and 21 before thus putting the link in place. 3

In using the device after the gas and spark V 13 is moved downward,'which is to the right as the-autoist faces the steering wheel, to ad- Vance the gas control andprovide the necessary gas for starting the engine. This movement shifts the arm 17 to the left in Fig. 2,

and through the link 22 correspondingly ma shifts the arm 16 to the left, and through the timer connecting rod 19 correspondingly shifts and retards the timer.

The starter on the car may now be operated without danger of backfiring. When the engine starts the spark lever is advanced in usual manner to running positionwhich action also shifts the gas lever to cut off the gas,

necessitating thereafter that the gas be fed by the foot lever or accelerator. Should it be necessary at any time, such as after stopping on a hill, to feed gas by the hand lever momentarily, such action will of course retard the spark but immediately after the clutch is engaged and the brakereleased the foot ma be again shifted to the foot accelerator an the spark be again advanced returning the gas lever to normal running position.

It is of course possible to use the starter without retarding the spark but in such event :the gas is so far out down that starting is ordinarily impossible and it is not likely that backfiring will occur. It will be noted also that the spark lever may be retarded at any time without advancing the gas lever so that is entirely feasible to set the spark lever at any desired point of advancement or retardation without affecting the normal running position" of the gas lever.

v.Having described my invention, what I claim is: 7 i

1. The combination with gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having arms, with shanks thereon connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of said engine, and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a link connecting said shanks and limiting separation of said 7 shanks the one from the other.

2. The combination with. gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having arms, with shanks thereon connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of'a gas engine,'andsaid shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a slotted link connecting said shanks and limiting separation of said shanks the one from the other. i

3. The combination with gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having arms with shanks thereon connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine, and said 'shanks diverging on advancement of either, of amember connecting said shanks and limiting separation of said shanks the one from theother.

4. The combination with gas and spark control parts for a' gas engine, said parts occupying adjacent positions and diverging on advancementof either, of means limiting the separation of said parts whereby advancement ofeither retards the other thereof 5. The combination with gas and spark 7 trols for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having an arm with shank thereon, saidshanks' being connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a link connecting said shanks and limiting separation there- '1 of, said link comprising a pair of substantially parallel sides, having U shaped ends adapted to engage said shanks, the open side of at least one of said U ends extending toward the other of said ends. I

1 7. The combination with gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having an arm with shank'thereon, said shanks being connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a linkconnecting said shanks and limiting separation there of, said link having an-end adapted to engage one of said shanks and an opposite U shaped end adapted to engage the other of; said shanks, with the legs-of'said U extending toward said first end. V 1.

8. The combination with gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having an arm with shank thereon, said shanks'being connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a link connecting said shanks and limiting separation thereof, said link being of an'elongated .O shape and having its ends engaging the remote sides of said shanks.

-11 9. The combination with gas and spark controls for a gas engine, said controls occupy ing adjacent positions and each having an arm with shank thereon, said shanks being connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a link connecting said shanks and limiting'separation thereof, said link having a U shaped end adapted to loosely engage one of said shanks, with the legs of said U extending toward the other of said shanks and having its opposite endintegral with at least onefof said legs and' engaging said latter shank.

10. The combination with gas and sparkcontrols for a gas engine, said controls occupying adjacent positions and each having an arm with shank thereon, said shanks being connected respectively to the carburetor and timer of the engine and said shanks diverging on advancement of either, of a link connecting said shanks and limiting separation thereof, said link comprising a pair of U shaped ends the legs of at least one of which extend toward the other thereof, said ends being connected by at least one of said legs and being adapted to engage said shanks.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

mark 

